The present invention relates generally to splitter gearboxes used in four-wheel drive agricultural tractors, and more particularly to a vent tube to improve the performance, reliability and durability of such gearboxes.
An integrated splitter gearbox for four-wheel drive tractors is shown and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,830 which is incorporated herein fully by reference. Therein is discussed the desirability of integrating all the drives for the input driven components of an articulated four wheel drive tractor into a single gearbox affixed to the rear axle housing of the tractor. The instant invention is an improvement to a splitter gearbox as generally disclosed in the ""830 patent.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a vent tube that significantly reduces parasitic losses due to the churning of oil by the output gears of a splitter gearbox.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for reducing parasitic losses in a splitter gearbox.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a splitter gearbox with improved operational characteristics and specifications.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vent tube and a non-spring operated poppet check valve assembly that reduces the parasitic losses in a splitter gearbox.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved splitter gearbox for a four wheel drive, hydrostatically driven tractor which is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use.
It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide a vent tube for a splitter gearbox mounted on the rear axle assembly of a four-wheel drive tractor. The vent tube extends into the rear axle assembly, while in fluid flow communication with the lubricating oil in the splitter gearbox, and either breaks a vacuum at a balance hole or permits oil transfer from the splitter gearbox, depending upon which direction the output gears are being driven. The output gears turn at high rpm and cause churning of the oil. The vent tube assembly relieves this condition and thereby significantly reduces parasitic power losses.